In the brave new broadcast world digital sub channels, one company is rising to the top of the heap. The Chicago-based, Weigel Broadcasting now owns and programs three of the over-the-air broadcasting networks. Digital sub channels were made possible when Congress mandated that all TV stations broadcast digitally. The digital signals allow one channel to over more than one programming signal. One station can offer multiple programming feeds. Several programming networks have sprung up in recent years to provide programming for these sub channels. Major metro media markets now have over the air broadcast channels in the double digits. In these markets, people have reasons to stop paying for satellite and cable programming.
Weigel Owned Programming Services
Weigel is now providing two such services and had made a major deal with a third. The only one that is available in the Fargo-Moorhead TV market is ThisTV. ThisTV shows movies that are mostly from the MGM and associated film catalogs. It has been showing movies that go back to the 1940s and 1950s, but in recent months, they have been getting access to movies from the early 2000’s.
ThisTV does air some older TV programming as well. Overnights it airs The Outer Limits and The Patty Duke Show. It also carries the old Ziv TV syndicated programs, Sea Hunt, Highway Patrol and Bat Masterson. Sunday nights, since the network’s inception have devoted two hours to 1990s syndicated TV show, Stargate, and its spinoffs. The network also runs Cookie Jar Toons out of Canada on Saturday mornings.
The company has also put a toe hold into the business of classic TV programming. Me-TV, which stands for “Memorable Entertainment” was first aired locally on some of the Weigel-owned TV stations, like ThisTV was. It was launched nationally in 2010 to get in on the launch of digital sub channels. Its programs run the gamut from 12 O’ Clock High to the Wild, Wild, West. Like its sister network, ThisTV, Me-TV carries children’s programming on Saturday mornings. This network has also revived the career of the Cleveland area horror host, Svengoolie, whose show airs at 10:00 p.m. central on Saturday nights.
Other Digital Sub Channels On Weigel-Owned Stations
Another digital subchannel, Bounce TV has made inroads into the Weigel portfolio of broadcasting services. Weigel-owned stations in Chicago and Milwaukee. Bounce TV, which is marketed towards African-Americans and is headquartered in Atlanta features African-American oriented movies and TV shows and carries sports from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Other Weigel-owned stations carry services that have been picked up by digital subchannels, such as The CW and MyTV. So, even though Weigel only runs two digital sub channel networks, it owns stations that carry digital sub-channel programming.
Right now, Weigel appears to be the leader in digital sub-channel programming. The company has started two full programming services for these new broadcast channels. Weigel also promotes the concept of digital sub-channel programming on its stations that it owns. More people may find less reason to pay for TV with the variety of programming that companies like Weigel offer.
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